REGIS PHILBIN

It's cool to be smart again: the game show “Jeopardy!”.

We lost a lot of big names in 2020, from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to longtime “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek to NBA legend Kobe Bryant. (Getty Images)John Prine performs on stage at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival at Golden Gate Park, in San Francisco on Oct. 2, 2009. (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Charley Pride performs onstage during the the 54th annual CMA Awards at Nashville’s Music City Center on Nov. 11, 2020. Jerry Stiller died from natural causes at his home in Manhattan on May 11, 2020, less than a month before his 93rd birthday. (Getty Images)Lynn Cohen attends the 5th annual Lilly awards at Playwrights Horizons on June 2, 2014 in New York City.

McKibbin, a singer from Texas best known for her third place finish in the first season of "American Idol," died Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. Scottish actor Sean Connery, best known for his role as secret agent James Bond, died Oct. 31 at the age of 90. Eddie Van HalenFILE - David Lee Roth, left, and Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen perform on Aug. 13, 2015, in Wantagh, N.Y. Van Halen, who had battled cancer, died Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. His representative says Boseman died Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 in Los Angeles after a four-year battle with colon cancer. Cordero died Sunday, July 5, 2020, at Cedars-Sinai hospital after more than 90 days in the hospital, according to his wife, Amanda Kloots.

The world also said goodbye to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who died in July. Other former political figures who died this year include Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, New York Mayor David Dinkins, Arizona Gov. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2020 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___David Stern, 77. The guitarist who supplied the scratching, seething sound that fueled the highly influential British punk band Gang of Four. He fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music.

During the hour before the funeral's start, Fox averaged 1.67 million viewers, the Nielsen company said. In the same hour, MSNBC had 1.28 million viewers and CNN had 1.25 million. During the 2 p.m. hour, Fox had 595,000 viewers, Nielsen said. NBC had 2.8 million viewers, ABC had 2.3 million, Fox had 1.6 million, Univision had 1.5 million, ION Television had 1.2 million and Telemundo had 910,000. Fox News Channel led the cable networks, averaging 3.07 million viewers in prime time.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. Television host Regis Philbin, who died last week at 88, has been buried at the University of Notre Dame following a private funeral service at his alma mater, a school spokesman said. The Philbin family wanted to bring Regis back to the place he loved so much for a private funeral and burial. That occurred on Wednesday, and he is now resting in peace at Notre Dame," school spokesman Dennis Brown said in an email. The genial television host and personality graduated from Notre Dame in 1953 and was an enthusiastic alum, often returning to the South Bend campus for football games, pep rallies, banquets, concerts and other events, the South Bend Tribune reported.

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)WASHINGTON One by one, they passed through the grand Capitol Rotunda to pay respects to the civil rights icon. But missing was a man whose absence spoke volumes: President Donald Trump. No, I wont be going, Trump told reporters when asked whether he planned to pay his respects to Lewis, the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Rotunda. And I'm sure that John Lewis would be supportive of it.The White House did not respond to questions about why the president did not attend. Trump had previously expressed a reluctance to publicly mourn Lewis because he remained angry about the congressmans past criticisms.

NEW YORK CITY TV viewers, broadcasters and celebrities alike have taken to social media to express their condolences following the announcement of the passing of Regis Philbin. The long time broadcaster and TV personality Regis Philbin passed away Saturday afternoon in his New York home from natural causes, according to a recent KSAT report. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Regis Philbin. John Carpenter was the first winner of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, causing Regis Philbin and all of America to smile. I loved Regis Philbin.

NEW YORK People Magazine confirmed Saturday that Regis Philbin, actor and television host, died of natural causes one month before his 89th birthday. Statement from Regis Philbin's family to @People: "We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday." https://t.co/lS7J94eYAz Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 25, 2020The statement to People Magazine from the Philbin family is as follows:We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday.The former Live with Regis and Kelly! Limited details were available on the television stars death. Dish on His Special Single Parents Cameo (Exclusive)Charlie Daniels, Country Music Legend, Dead at 83

FILE - This Jan. 12, 2012 file photo shows Hugh Downs at the "Today" show 60th anniversary celebration in New York. Downs, a genial and near-constant presence on television from the 1950s through the 1990s, has died. His family said Downs died of natural causes Wednesday, July 1, 2020, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)NEW YORK Hugh Downs, a genial and near-constant presence on television on news, game and talk shows, has died at age 99. He hosted the PBS series Over Easy and Live from Lincoln Center and did the game show Concentration.

Jimmy Fallon is apologizing after coming under fire on social media due to a recently resurfaced Saturday Night Liveclip in which the late-night host is seen performing in blackface. "In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface," Fallon tweeted on Tuesday. I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable." In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface. "You do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface for Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween.

Regis Philbin in the Toyota Green Room In this week's edition of “Sounds of the Toyota Green Room,” Regis Philbin talks with Gayle King, Norah O'Donnell and Charlie Rose.

Regis Philbin guest hosts "The Late Late Show" He's no stranger to late night television, having been David Letterman's most frequent guest over the years with 57 appearances. Philbin joins "CBS This Morning" with a preview of what he has in store for Monday and Tuesday night.